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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Red Cabbage and Balsamic

With the flu season peaking, not only do I feel the need to stock up on hand sanitizer and tissues but also eat well healthy. I am trying to plan meals around soups, salads and tons of fruits juices and shakes....well to be truthful more than eating healthy, am trying to shed the extra layers, I have seem to have acquired over the holidays. I have always loved the fresh crunch of a salad, so it is really not an effort to develop a taste for it. I can live off just fresh fruits and veggies, but then there is chocolates, rich creamy desserts, spicy velvety curries .....and that is hard to control, So this afternoon after I restarted my workout regime for the nth time this year (I know it is just the 15th, but am still struggling to get back to a routine) I chopped some fresh salad and made a nice balsamic vinaigrette and thought it looked rather pretty.... did a quick photo shoot for fun,( I was not planning to post this)....after having tasted and consumed a huge bowl of salad, I had to share it on TNS.
1/4 head of red cabbage finely shredded1/4 of a bell pepper cut in cubeshandful of cherry tomatoes ( i ran out of it so I used Roma, deseeded)handful of radish sliced1/4 cup chickpeas - optional (soaked overnight and cooked or canned)handful of blueberriesFor the vinaigrette4-5 tbsp balsamic vinegar1/2 tsp sesame oiljuice of half lemon (optional)drizzle of honeysaltfresh ground pepperIf chickpea is your thing, then you will love this salad here.

You can toss some sliced toasted almonds or sunflower seeds or even chunks of granola.

The balsamic vinegar adds a fruity flavor to the salad and the rich amber toasted sesame oil compliments with a nutty flavor. With sesame oil, a small amount goes a long way, so you might want to drizzle a few drops first, even a half tsp might be too much for some as the flavor is strong and intense."Aged balsamic vinegar tastes like time itself," says Paul Bertolli. Am no expert but do like to read up on my ingredients so I can be an informer consumer. Some interesting facts on balsamic here , if you are like me and prefer to shop at you local super market this guide is a must read.